A Western Capitol Hill: The Business Section. (#3)

A WESTERN CAPITOL HILL

The novel A Western Capitol Hill (Owncoming Press, LLC) trains its literary eye on Denver—similar to how other popular humor has spotlighted the eccentric populace of New Orleans, poked fun at the hipster reputation of Portland, and dished out the bizarre and trashy side of Baltimore. It’s a darkly comedic tale of lust and avarice, set in the New West, complete with bad sex, bad drugs, and bad rock ‘n’ roll. Barbed satire as applicable to our recent national zeitgeist as it is to the Mile High City.

When a controversial bill at the Colorado State Capitol pits a Religious Right legislator against a transgender real-estate mogul, two lobbyists battle—in mercenary fashion—on opposing sides of the cultural war. Welcome to Denver’s Capitol Hill. It’s where the Colorado legislature meets. It’s also an eccentrically diverse neighborhood populated by gays, goths, anarchists, fascists, punks, ethnic activists, nouveau gentry, neighborhood-watch alarmists, the drunken homeless, and violent criminals. Last, but not least, it’s the stomping ground of a supernatural beast—the Denver Dragon—in addition to hosting a variety of ghostly apparitions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gregory Daurer records songs under the moniker Gregory Ego, in addition to participating on the sonic collaboration Reverend Lead Pipe & His Pipe-Wielding Swingers. This is his first novel. As a freelance writer and photographer, Daurer has been published by Juxtapoz, Salon, 5280, Headpress, The Huffington Post, Draft, Culture, and High Times. His interviews with noted writers (T.C. Boyle, Tom Robbins, William Gibson, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs) have been reprinted by, or cited within, scholarly books and a documentary film.

ABOUT THE COVER ARTIST:

Larry Hubbell (aka Harry Lyrico) is an illustrator and printmaker. Hubbell's graphics have been published by Icon, Last Gasp, the LA Weekly, and reprinted in a Fantagraphics collection of mini comix. His design work has included logos, book covers, fliers, graffiti, and posters.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

The Business Section. (#3)

Scooter Liquors on East Colfax Avenue. Capitol Hill's best-known, drive-through liquor store. (The drive-up counter is just past the sign with the scooter atop it in the photo above.)

And Capitol Hill loves its liquor, that's for sure. Men's Health magazine recently named Denver the nation's most "Dangerously Drunk City."

(Come to think of it, Denver loves scooters, too. Even the Mayor, a brewpub entrepreneur, rides one.)

I've never heard of drive-through liquor stores referred to locally, though, as "brew thrus" or any of the other, colorful terms that they're known by Down South.

Denverites may not be able to buy wine or full-strength beer at supermarkets. We may not be able to buy booze at liquor stores, at all, on Sundays. But, Monday through Saturday, we can pull up to the counter of a drive-through liquor store and ask for Tokay wine to-go.

BREAKING NEWS (4/22/08): Goodbye, blue law! Starting in July, liquor stores in Colorado will be allowed to sell alcohol on Sundays. On April 14, the Governor signed the legislation into effect.